Shaft-tug.



P. T. OVERMA'N.

SHAFT TUG.

APPLIQATION FILED AUG. 19, 1908.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

' lUNI'IE STATES PATENT FFICE.,

FRANK T. OVERMAN, or oHIOAGO, ILLINOIS, AssIcNoR OF ONE-HALF To JOHN F. LEWIS, OF OHIOAGO, ILLINOIS.

SHAFT-'EUG'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application filed August 19, 1908. Serial No. 449,308.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK T. OVERMAN, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shaft Tugs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to harness, and particularly to shaft tugs or those portions of the harness which depend from the saddle on both sides of the horse and act to sustain the shafts.

Shaft tugs as ordinarily constructed are made entirely of leather. The wear and chafing of the shaft in the loop of the tug and the chaing of the loop against the other portions of the harness acts not only to disligure the loop but to wear it out entirely in a comparatively short time, and to cut or fray the threads with which it is sewed.

The object of my invention is to provide a shaft tug with metal reinforces which will give a yielding or cushioning support to the shafts and yet be protected from wear to a large extent and which will therefore be strong and durable.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line wof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the angular saddle iron which forms the upper end of the tug. Fig. 4 is a face view of the buckle, and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal fragmentary section of the upper end of one portion of the tug and the saddle iron.

My improved tug consists of two opposed frames -2-2 of channel iron each having a general ovoid or horseshoe shape. Between the reinforcing irons 2 is held a cushioning member, the upper ends of said cushion and frames being connected by the angular saddle iron before referred to.

In detail the opposed frames 2 are each made of channel iron, the flanges of which are turned inward. These are each bent or formed into an ovoid loop open at its upper end. At the ends the flanges 2 of the frame are widened to form ears 2" by means of which the cushioning member is attached to the frames. The cushioning member is supported between said frames and is composed of an inner leather strip 3, an outer strip 4 and intermediate filling strips 5. The cushioning member is also bent around in the form of an open loop. The inner strip 3 is pressed out for the greater portion of its length to form a laterally convex cushion between its side edges as at 3 see Figs. 1 and rIhe upper ends of the strip 3 are formed flat as shown in Fig. 1. The outer' band or strip 4 is flat along its whole extent and is of leather either of an ornamental character or of a cheaper grade than the strip 3 upon which the wear will mostly come. Between the strips 3 and 4 along the whole extent of the convexity 3 a iii-ling 5 is placed of leather scraps or other relatively cheap cushioning material which is fastened in place by tacks 5 or otherwise attached. It will be seen from Fig. l that the flat ends of the strip 3 bear closely against the strip 4.

As seen in Fig. 5 the upper end of the outer band or strip 4 at one end is continued to form the loop 4 which laps over the upper end of the inner strip 3. At its other end the strip 4 is extended to form a strap end 6, which is slotted as at 6 for the passage of the buckle tongue 9. The saddle or angular plate 7 is attached at one end to the outer face of the band 4 and at the other end to the inner face of the band or strip 3. Rivet-s 8 pass through the ears 2 on the edges of the channel frames, through the saddle plate and through strips 3 and 4, thus holding the strips of the cushion together and to the channel frames. The angular saddle iron 7 thus connects the upper ends of the channel frames and completes the loop of the tug, While it also protects the loop 4.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, the strap 4 at one end is beneath the iron 7 and at the other end is outside thereof and extends beyond the same to form a free strap end 6. The saddle iron is slotted as at 7 this slot being for the passage of the tongue 9 of the buckle 9. The buckle as shown in Fig. 4 is of the usual, somewhat ornamental shape with a cross-bar 9 to which the tongue 9 is pivotally attached. This cross-bar is received within the loop 4 formed by the returned portion of the strap 4 as shown clearly in Fig. 5, and the tongue of the buckle projects out through the slots formed in the strip 4 and the saddle iron 7.

As will be seen from Fig. 1, the upper' ends of both frames are attached to the strips 3 and 4, and to the saddle iron 7 by means of rivets 8. At its bottom the tug is provided with two downwardly depending ears 10 which are formed integral with the reinforcing frames and are pierced for the passage of a bolt 11 as shown in Fig. 2. This bolt in conjunction with the rivets holds the frames together and against the intermediate cushion. The bolt also provides a cross-bar for the attachment of the girth strap 12 which is of any ordinary or desired construction.

It will be obvious of course that the deending saddle strip is to be attached to the uckle 9. While 1 have shown the strip 6 as turned backward so that it will not interfere with and conceal any other parts of my device, in use the strip 6 will be passed inside of the buckle 9, the tongue of 'the buckle passing through the slot 6, and the end of which will be inserted again through the buckle rearward of the cross-bar. The strap 6 in this position covers the upper face of the saddle iron 7.

The advantages of my invention reside in the fact that the leather is fully protected and reinforced. It will be noted that the reinforcing irons or frames not only guard the edge of the leather pieces, but that they project on both sides beyond the surface of the leather, and hence that any wear upon the' circumference of the tug will come upon the metallic surface and not upon the surface of the leather. This permits the outer face of the strip l to be made of ornamental character if desired, or of relatively cheap leather inasmuch as no wear comes upon it. As the several leather strips are attached together through the reinforcing frames no sewing is required, or if the strips are sewed together, this stitching will be protected by the flanges of the frames, hence the tug will not give by reason of the stitches being frayed or cut.

My construction is strong, attractive in appearance, and is particularly durable. 1t is much stronger than an all leather tug, and while the shaft is supported on a cushion of leather, the leather is protected.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a lshaft tug, opposed metallic frames; a cushion supported by and between said frames; one end of the cushion being provided with a loop and the other end with a strap; means for attaching the frames to the cushion; and a buckle supported by said loop.

2. In a shaft tug, opposed horseshoeshaped frames formed of channel bars; a cushion having its side edges received within the flanges of said bars; a loop formed at one end of said cushion; a strap formed at the other end of said cushion; an angular saddle iron connecting the open upper channel bars and cushion; ears formed on the and then returned upon the said inner strip,

the other end of the outer strip being eX- tended beyond the inner strip to form a free strap end; rivets passing through the flanges of said frames and through said strips; and a buckle supported in said loop and adapted to engage with said strap end and with a saddle strap.

4. In a shaft tug, opposed horseshoeshaped frames formed of channel bars; a cushion having its side edges supported within said bars formed of an inner strip of leather having its middle portion convex, an'

outer leather strip and a filling between the two, the outer strip of said cushion at one end being bent around to form a loop and then returned upon the said inner strip, the p other end of the outer strip being extended beyond said inner strip to form a free strap end; an angular saddle iron covering said loop and having' its ends inserted within the ends of the frame flanges; rivets passing through the flanges of said frame, th-e saddle iron and said cushion; and a buckle supported in said loop and adapted to engage 'ith said strap end and with a saddle strap.

In a shaft tug, opposed horseshoeshaped frames formed of the channel bars; a cushion having its side edges supported within said bars, the inner face of said cushion being formed of a strip of leather having it-s middle portion convex and eX- tending inward between said frames, an

router strip and a filling between the outer and inner strips, said outer strip at one end being bent around to form a loop and then returned upon the said inner strip, the other end of t-he outer strip being extended beyond the inner strip and beyond the frames to form a free strap end; an angular saddle iron one end of which is inserted between the flanges of one end of said frame outside of said outer strip and the other end of which is inserted between the flanges of the other end of said frame inside of said outer strip; ears formed on the ends of the frames, rivets passing' through said ears, the ends of the saddle iron and said cushion strips; and a buckle having a cross-bar supported within said loop and adapted to engage with said cushion having its side edges supported within said bars, the inner face of said cushion being formed of a strip of leztther` having its middle portion convex and eX- tending inward between said frames, an outer strip and a. filling between the outer and inner` strips, said outer strip at one end being bent around to forni e, loop and then returned upon the said inner strip, the other end of the outer strip being extended beyond the inner strip and beyond the frames to form a free strap end; un angular saddle iron one end of which is inserted between the Hanges of one end of said frame outside of said outer strip and the other end of which is inserted between the flanges of the other end of said frame inside of said 'outer strip; ears formed on the ends of the frames, rivets passing through seid ears, the ends of the saddle iron and said cushion strips; ears project-ing from the flanges at the bottoni of said frames; and u bolt passing through said ears holding the frames togetherto which the girth strap is adapted to be attached.

In testimony whereof I have signed my naine to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK T. OVERMAN.

Vitnesses:

ARTHUR A. OLSON, JANET E. HOGAN. 

